United Wisconsin and The Democratic Party of Wisconsin have announced that we currently have collected 507,533 signatures throughout the state. That is over a half-million, folks! We have miles to go before we sleep, but I'm liking our progress! The newly stated goal is 720,277, which is very achievable. Now, let's get out there and make this weekend matter! Saturday, Dec 17, is "Total Recall Day of Action" around the state. If you live here, find somewhere to volunteer. Give some time to the effort. We are making history.
Here are some stats from United Wisconsin:
The movement to recall Walker continues to move quickly. In the first 28 days, Wisconsin voters signed the petition at a rate of over 18,000 per day. In the first 12 days, more than 300,000 signatures were collected from all 72 counties in Wisconsin.
Specific signature totals from selected counties include the following:
8,007 signatures or 128% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Douglas County
22,365 signatures or 124% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Eau Claire County
21,558 signatures or 91% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Rock County
7,375 signatures or 84% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Oneida County
6,972 signatures or 81% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Grant County
This is the most significant part of the story. The above counties are rural. They are samples of the state outside of the liberal leaning Madison (Dane County) and Milwaukee (Milwaukee county) urban areas. This is what should be giving Walker some sleepless nights, and turning this tide will be precisely what the Republicans will attempt through advertising, misinformation, intimidation and false representation.
Mike Tate (Chair of DPW), at the recall announcement gathering today, said "it is going very well in rural areas. This is purely grassroots and we aren't dictating how it is done." When asked about candidates, he said "we won't talk about it till we reach our goal. Our focus is on Scott Walker." And when asked about the difficulties of a winter campaign, he said "it was a concern but this is when the people wanted to go. Weather has been mild so mother nature wants him to go."
Snow isn't going to stop us. We go ice fishing!
If you are in Wisconsin:
Click here for the United Wisconsin website, where you can find regional offices, petitions to download and print, submit your name for a volunteer coordinator to contact you, and donate to the cause.
And,
Click here to donate to the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
The proud ornament above was smuggled by someone into State Capitol Rotunda, and placed on The People's Tree.
Together we are going to win this. We will win with creativity and perseverance and heart and good will. We will fight this governor's extremist and ideologically driven agenda, and we will prevail over the dumptrucks full of money cascading like coal ash into our lakes, like mining magnates into our state.
And how much is 500,000? According to Mike Tate and posted to WisDems.org:
Some perspective on a half-million. In Wisconsin this means:
Filling Lambeau Field to capacity nearly 7 times.
Filling Miller Park more than 11 times.
Filling Camp Randall to capacity 6 times.
It's three times the attendance of Oktoberfest in La Crosse.
It's nearly 5 times more than CranFest in Monroe County.
It's nearly 42 times the attendance at the Lumberjack Championship in Hayward.
And it's about 10,000 more people than the annual gate at Noah's Ark in Wisconsin Dells.
If only it could be translated, somehow into cheese....